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Please be aware that the content herein has not been peer reviewed. It consists of personal reflections, insights, and learnings of the contributor(s). It may not be exhaustive, nor does it aim to be authoritative knowledge.
Title
Please provide a name for your action learning plan.
Exploring the benefits of free internet in public spaces
Challenge statement
Challenge type: If you are working on multiple challenges, please indicate if this is your "big bet" or "exploratory" challenge.
Please note: we ask you to only submit a maximum of 3 challenges - 1x Big Bet, 2x Exploratory. Each challenge must be submitted individually.
BIG BET
Challenge statement: What is your challenge? (Please answer in specific terms: "Our challenge is that...”.)
Our challenge is to understand the role that free internet in public spaces may play in terms of opportunities and efficiencies for city service provision, economic development and the reduction of social inequalities.
Background: What is the history of your challenge? What is causing or driving it? Who is involved? How does the current situation look like? What undesired effects does it produce?
This action plan follows up on our previous work around designing a “basic digital basket” for microenterprises led by women and promoting “Digital aides”. Both projects focused on bridging the digital divide through formal and informal digital support systems. Connectivity and ownership of access devices, affects the exercise of the rights to health, education and work, and the lack of it can lead to an increase in socio-economic inequalities (ECLAC, 2021). In El Salvador, the digital divide is wider than in other countries in the region and, according to the EHPM 2019 (household and multi-purpose survey), only 23.4% of households had access to residential internet. Among the small number with access, 64% used it for communication activities and 25% for education-related activities. Extensive literature has been developed around technical and regulatory issues related to the deployment of infrastructure supporting Wi-Fi networks, but there has been limited empirical study of the social implications of these networks ([REDACTED], 2008; [REDACTED] & [REDACTED], 2008; [REDACTED], 2008). We will contribute to these empirical studies by exploring behavioural changes after installing a free Wi-Fi network in Balboa Park. During 2022, the Balboa Park has had access for the first time to a 100 Mbps Wi-Fi network, funded through the Digi-Chiquihuites project for inclusive digitalisation in micro and small businesses in the tourism sector. Tourists, small business owners, as well as park rangers and maintenance personnel, all meet in this public space. In addition, inside the park there is a public educational centre called Goldtree Liebes, offering morning, afternoon and weekend shifts, which means that the ecosystem of this public space integrates some 1800 students, as well as teachers, administrative staff and parents.
Quantitative evidence: What (official) data sources do you have on this challenge that better exemplifies the importance and urgency of this frontier challenge? You can add text, a link, or a picture.
According to the EHPM 2019 (household and multi-purpose survey) only 2 out of 10 households have internet access. The Spanish version of the survey is shared below, where tables C22, E14 and E15 are of particular interest as they show that the majority of people use the internet using their mobile phones and the expenditure this represents. Table E14 shows that the majority of the population uses the internet for communication, and the use of the internet for buying and selling products or for the use of electronic banking and other financial services is basically inexistent. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiDpb3X7ZD7AhWUTjABHX03A70QFnoECAkQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.transparencia.gob.sv%2Finstitutions%2Fminec%2Fdocuments%2F401354%2Fdownload&usg=AOvVaw0yNPMimoCSbpq5fahTDm9m We are also inspired by learnings from other Labs on how digitalisation changes informality: https://www.undp.org/acceleratorlabs/blog/signals-digitalization-informality
Qualitative evidence: What weak signals have you recently spotted that characterizes its urgency? Please provide qualitative information that better exemplifies the importance and urgency of this frontier challenge. You can add text, a link, or a picture.
Although the Digi-chiquihuites project generated positive digital attitudes, knowledge and confidence in digital tools among participants, while implementing the project we observedthat limited internet access is one of the impediments for participants to adopt digital finance behaviours.
Value proposition: What added value or unique value proposition is your Accelerator Lab bringing to solving this challenge? Why is it your Lab that needs to work on this challenge and not other actors within UNDP, other stakeholders in the country respectively? Why is it worth investing resources to this challenge?
This challenge builds on the work that the lab has done before in other learning cycles, designing a “basic digital basket” for microenterprises led by women and promoting “Digital aides”, so it is natural that we work on this and no other UNDP actors. The RFF project implemented by El Salvador’s CO was designed with key elements of the Accelerator Lab’s methodology, presenting a unique opportunity to leverage project funds and political will (from UNDP and government counterparts) to embed experiments into programmatic activities. The AccLab has been involved since the early stages of project implementation by delegation of the CO’s RR and as part of 2022’s Frontier Challenge around Inclusive Digitization. Many initiatives from development agencies, NGOs and the government are aiming at accelerating the digital transformation of businesses of all sizes, but very few, if any, are testing the efficacy of their interventions. The evidence that the AccLab will produce will be applicable in several scenarios and contribute to the adaptation of existing interventions and the design of new ones which seek to optimize investments and even test new ideas based on current results. DRA implementation: The AccLab is leading the implementation of a Nationwide Digital Readiness Assessment with the support of UNDP’s Chief Digital Office. The results of this assessment, the implementation of the RFF project and the follow-up activities linked to those two activities have opened a new thematic pipeline for El Salvador’s CO around digital inclusion, which the AccLab is leading.
Short “tweet” summary: We would like to tweet what you are working on, can you summarize your challenge in a maximum of 280 characters?
El Salvador’s AccLb is investigating the changes in commercial and social behaviours that free public wi-fi brings to the tourism sector.
Partners
Who are your top 5 partners for this challenge? Please submit from MOST to LEAST important and state Name, Sector and a brief description of the (intended) collaboration.
Please state the name of the Parter:
ISTU (Salvadoran Institute of Tourism)
What sector does our partner belong to?
Government (&related)
Please provide a brief description of the collaboration.
ISTU is the entity that manages 3 Natural Parks and 11 Water Parks, including Balboa Park.
Is this a new and unusual partner for UNDP?
Yes
Who are your top 5 partners for this challenge? Please submit from MOST to LEAST important and state Name, Sector and a brief description of the (intended) collaboration.
Please state the name of the Parter:
TIGO
What sector does our partner belong to?
Private Sector
Please provide a brief description of the collaboration.
Tigo is the commercial brand of the Millicom company and has been present in El Salvador since 1992 and has ranked #1 in the country in mobile technology services. Tigo offers comprehensive digital services such as mobile voice communications, cable TV, high speed internet and mobile financial services to more than 45% of the population. UNDP hired Tigo to provide a 100 Mbps Wi-Fi network in Balboa Park.
Is this a new and unusual partner for UNDP?
Yes
Learning questions
Learning question: What is your learning question for this challenge? What do you need to know or understand to work on your challenge statement?
How do the social, business, and financial dynamics of people visiting and working in a national park change when they have access to free public internet? Is it possible that promoting free Wi-Fi Internet access could contribute to the revitalisation of public spaces, as measured by an increase in the number of tourists per week? Will tourists and park visitors change their behaviours now that they have internet access? Is it possible that by having access to free public Wi-Fi, park visitors spend more time in the shops and cafeterias within the park? Could this influence the average spend of their visits? Would they be more likely to recommend others to visit that specific shop, or to visit the park? It is possible that by having access to free public Wi-Fi, business owners are more likely to follow a digitally-guided formalisation route?
To what stage(s) in the learning cycle does your learning question relate?
Explore, Test
Usage of methods: Relating to your choice above, how will you use your methods & tools for this learning question? What value do these add in answering your learning question?
Data Visualisation: A dynamic map will be created showing the internet access points, the internet coverage area and the behaviours of visitors and tenants with respect to these points. Randomized Controlled Trials: To empirically test the effect that free public internet access has on people visiting and working in the park. Social Media Analysis: We are going to analyse how people react to publications promoting Balboa Park, comparing publications that refer to the free public Wi-Fi access
Existing data gaps: Relating to your choice above, what existing gaps in data or information do these new sources of data addressing? What value do these add in answering your learning question?
Social network / social media data: Social media data analysis will allow us to analyse the impact of communicating that the park has free and public internet. Spatial data: A geo-referenced assessment of the wifi network coverage area within the park will be carried out. In addition, all data on visitor and tenant behaviour will be geo-referenced. This will allow us to understand if there are different behaviours in areas with internet coverage versus areas without coverage.
Closing
Early leads to grow: Think about the possible grow phase for this challenge - who might benefit from your work on this challenge or who might be the champions in your country that you should inform or collaborate with early on to help you grow this challenge?
ISTU manages a total of 14 national parks. The results and learnings from this challenge will be very useful for the ISTU to make decisions about the other parks. For example, if it is shown that installing and advertising free public Wi-Fi attracts more visitors to the park, it could be evaluated to install it in the other parks. The results will also be of interest in terms of economic recovery and growth.
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8Decent work and economic growth
9Industry, innovation and infrastructure
10Reduced inequalities
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